Manually-operated safety coupling device



E. SCHENK.

MANUALLY OPERATED SAFETY COUPLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED' MAY 23.1921.

-wi /11411111111111III/I4w iii/01111171711727,

EDOUARD SCHENK, OF GENEVA, SWITZERLAND.

MANUALLY-OPERATED SAFETY COUPLING DEVICE.

Be it known that I, Eno oARD SOHENK, a citlzen of Switzerland, residingat Geneva,

Canton of Geneva, in the Confederation of:

Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inManually-Operated Safety Coupling Devices, of which the following is aspecification. I

This invention relates to improvements in manually operated couplingdevices, serving to connect both ends of the same object or two ends ofdifferent objects in a most safe manner, and in such a way that theconnected parts can at any moment readily be separated by hand. Althoughthe new coupling device may be used in all cases where a safe and quickconnection and disconnection of two parts or members is desired, thedevice appears to be particularly adapted to be used as an improvedsafety clasp for jewelry.

In my patent application Serial No. 411,423 of September 20th, 1920, Ihad proposed a new design for a safety catch for pins. Among the workingforms shown in the drawings attached to said patent specification therewas one providing a catch for maintaining a spring bolt in its stressedposition corresponding to the open pin, the point of the pin, whenarriving in its closed position, bearing against said catch and therebydisengaging the stressed bolt. Experience has however shown that certaindifficulties arise in the manufacture on account of the extremely smalldimensions of the plate spring and I tried to overcome this diflicultyby substituting a pivoting lever to said plate spring and by using thespring of the bolt as a back-motion spring. an arrangement having provedextremely satisfactory for pins, 1 strived to make use of it to otherlockets for jewelry and particularly also to necklaces and the like.

It has been previously proposed to employ two pivoting lever clasps oneopposed to the other and to make a plate spring connecting member of thenecklace enter between the two levers. But owing to the fact that theconnecting member is a plate spring, its manufacture is very difficultin view of the small dimensions to be observed, the plate spring willbecome lame and as the connecting member must be made to enter betweenthe pivoted lever clasps at a given plane, its manipulation is difficultand when in use it Specification of Letters Patent.

Such

Patented Nov. 15, 1%21.

1921. Serial No. 4=71,766.

proves both unreliable and most unhandy, since 1n the case of a necklacethe wearer looses much time for making the connecting member enter thesheath or box of the locket at the right angle.

()ne form of the locket or clasp for necklaces according to the presentinvention, which also comprises two pivoted lever clasps, and which 1developed in departing from my former construction as proposed Iorsafety pins, does away with these important drawbacks of the formerdesigns.

The accompanying drawing represents byway of example, threeconstructional embodiments of the invention, in connection with articlesof jewelry.

Figure 1 is a plan view in its open position of the first form adaptedfor use with necklaces or bracelets.

Fig. 2 is a vertical axial. section of the same in the closed position.

Fig. 3 is an end view taken from the left of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is afragmentary plan view showmg, in an open position, a second form of theclasp according to the invention, adaptable to necklaces.

Fig. 5 is an axial horizontal section corresponding to Fig. 4. butshowing the clasp in the closed position.

Fig. 6 is an end view analogous to Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is an axial vertical section showing, in a closed position, athird form of the clasp, adaptable to brooches opposite their pin point.

Fig. 8 is a similar section showing the clasp in its open position, and

Fig. 9 is an end view taken to the right of Fig. 7. Y

In the first form adaptable to a necklace, (Figs. 1 to 3) the clasp,according to the invention, consists of a box a, open at both ends, inwhich the two ends A and B of the necklace can fit, and of a lever Z)pivoting on a pin 0 fixed in the box a. This lever b is displaced in alongitudinal. groove a made in the box a and consists of a long arm 7)the end of which bent at a right angle 5 ends in'a clasping part orhook, a short arm 6 bent at a right angle, and a projection 5*prolonging the arm 6 and passing outside the box a. The end A of thenecklace is constituted by a metal part d furnished at one end with thering d to which is fixed one end of the necklace string and. at theopposite end with a flange or head (P- against which bears a spring 6which is wound on the part cl, of which it takes the form and rests atthe other end upon the short arm 6 of the lever 79. A slide d is made inthe piece d to allow passage of this arm 6 and determine the length ofthe axial displacement of the piece (Z inside the box a.

In the same way the end B of the necklace is made of a piece of metal 7,furnished at one end with a ring f to which the other end of thenecklace string is fixed. At the other end the piece 7 is rounded so asto be able to easily penetrate into the corresponding openextremity ofthe box a. An open ing f is made in this piece f which, with the lever6, form a clasp of which 5 is the hook and f the loop. 7

The piece (5 is introduced into the box a before adjusting the lever bin position. As soon as thelatter is fixed onthe pin 0, the point 65 ofthe necklaceis caught fast in the box a and the clasp is then ready to,

act.

To unclasp just for clasping the necklace, the box a and the end B ofthe necklace are held in each hand respectively, the projection orbutton'b being pressed, so as to raise the hook b and pressing the piece7 simultaneously to run it as far as it will go in the box a.

In this positlon, according as, 1n the first place pressure is removedfrom the button 6 or from the piece f the spring 0 acts respectively onthe lever 79 to clasp the necklace or on piece 7 to open it.

In the second form adaptable to a necklace (Figs. 4 to 6) the box a hasa suitable forinto contain two diametrically opposite levers?) andtoallow the two ends A and B of the necklace,-which are constituted inthiscase, by cylindric pieces 05 and fto glide like pistons in itscylindric part.

The grooves a only allow the projections or buttons 77* to pass outsidethe box a.

The cylindric partd forming the end A of the necklace terminates insidethe box a with a disk al which moves in the cylindric part of the box alike a piston of which (23 would be the rod. The spring 6 whichseparates this disk d from the short arms '6 of the levers b is a spiralspring wound on the part d.

The end B of the necklace is constituted by a cylindric part f the endof which is beveled so as to be able to easily penetrate into thecorresponding open part of the box a and make it possible to separatethe oblique edges of the opposite hooks b of the levers b. This part fhas also an annular recess or gorge f to cooperate with the hooks 6 Inthis form the necklace is automatically clasped under the action of apart of the power stored'in the spring 0, driving the to keep the parts5 and f clasped.

pening is obtained by a simple and strong pressure upon the twodiametrically opposite buttons 6*.

Besides its great safety due to the action of the springs and thedisproportion b tween the lever arms 6 and 6 this clasping has the greatadvantage of giving a slight extensibility to the clasping of thenecklace, thanks to which the risks ofrupture in case of suddentightening are decreased.

The necklace clasp could be of other shape than that represented. Forexample there might be three levers Z2 placed radially at 120 or four at90, oscillating on a circular pin in the form of a ring inside acylindric box, or in the form of a star with three or four arms. Tosimultaneously raise these three or four levers a ring would then beemployed sliding on the box a, capable of lowering the three or fourprojections which would be on an incline acclivity-when it is displacedaxiallyon the said projections.

To unclasp thenecklace by separating or spreading the ends 6 of thelevers b, instead of the projections Z), one could employ thelast headon the end A of the necklace which could then slip on the part (Z. Bymeans of this part one would then press with one hand on the arms 6 ofthe levers b and with the other hand push the end B of the necklacein-the opposite direction.

The two ends A and B of the string of the necklace instead, of beingfixed in the rings d and f could also be threadedin he. hollow parts atand f and knotted at the ends in a widened part of the hollows in theparts 65 and f. The necklace would then be strung as follows: The end Aof the string would be threaded in the hollow, part d and its endknotted. Then the beads would be threaded and the end B being thenknotted in the hollow part, f.

The box a may have any ornamental form which can be adapted to any styleof jewel or receive any kind of applique for jewelry.

The hooks b of the levers Z) may be of any suitable form to work with acorresponding clasp arranged in the piece f. The lever arm or arms 72may end in a halfring adapting itself to the form of the rod al, thoughable to oscillate on it.

Instead of being pivoted at c the lever 6 could oscillate in an openingmade in the box a, by means of anextension forming ball and socketjoint.

In the form represented in Figs. 7 to 9, the invention is applied to adetached. bro'ach clasp adaptable" by soldering or other method offixation to the back of any broach or barette opposite the pin point ofthe latter.

The box (0 comprises a cylindric part in which the tube 9 slides, and awing a, in which a lever b is pivotally housed at c as in the precedingforms. The long arm of this lever b has at its free end a halfring .72and on its upper edge an unhooking part b serving as a clasping tooth.The spiral spring 6 is lodged inside the tube 9 which is open at bothends and which is threaded from the left into the box a before the leverb is mounted on its pin. This spring 6 bears at one end, on two interiorstuds 9 formed with the embossed -material of the tube g and at itsother endwhen the lever is in place-on the arm 12 of the latter, thesaid arm being introduced at the back into a longitudinal groove 9formed in the tube for about three quarters of its length. The end ofthe tube 9 projecting out of the box a is provided with a ring g openopposite the groove 9 and formed by beating it out integrally with thetube 9, or soldered on it. This ring serves to more easily grasp thetube g, between the thumb and fore-finger, when the latter is to bedrawn backward to free the point of the broach pin, viz. open thebroach. The extremity of this tube 9 is grooved at g on the lower halfof its circumference, the halfring or guide 6 of the lever b fittingexactly into this groove 9 in the closed position of the device so as toguide or center the point of the pin (Fig. 7). There is an opening a onthe box a, through which the point of the broach pin can be run. Theoperation of this form of the devlce 1s as follows: Assuming that thebox a has been soldered on the broach-care having been taken to withdrawin one piece all the interior mechanism after removing the pin 0 inorder not to slacken the spring e-and that the pin 0 has been riveted inplace, then to open the broach the ring is drawn until the point of thebroach pin is disengaged from the tube 9. At this lnstant the groove 9comes opposite the unhooking part b of the lever and the latter underthe action of the power stored in the sprmge, turns at a certain angleand engages wlth the tube 9 thus keeping the clasp in the open position.

Clasping takes place automatically when the pin is moved to fasten it atthe instant when the pin point enters the box a. At this moment in fact,it rests on the fork b and thus makes the lever Z) turn until the toothb releases the tube 9 which then, under the action of the spring g,bolts'the point of the pin.

The fact that in the attached drawings and the above description themanually operated safety coupling device is shown only as used forarticles of jewelry does by no means signify that the new device isintended only for such a use. In fact it may also be employed andconstructed for supporting heavy strains of any sort and may be usedwith great advantage inany place when an effectively secure and quickconnection or coupling and disconnection is to take place.

Claims.

1. A manually operated safety coupling device, comprising a sheath, amember slidable therein provided with an abutment, an oscillatingclasping member comprising a short arm serving to retain the slidingpart in the sheath, a long arm carrying the clasp proper and a partwhich can be operated by hand from the exterior of the sheath, and acoil spring or springs bearing at one end on the aforesaid short arm andat the other end on the said abutment of the slidable member.

2. A manually operated extensible safety coupling device, comprising asheath, a member slidable therein provided with an abutment, a claspingmember comprising a plurality of levers pivoted to said sheath, eachlever comprising a short arm serving to retain the sliding part in thesheath, a long arm carrying the clasp proper and a part which can beoperated by hand from the exterior of the sheath, and a coil spring orsprings bearing at one end on the aforesaid short arms and at the otherend on the abutment of the slidable member.

3. A manually operated extensible safety coupling device for articles ofjewelry such as necklaces, comprising a sheath, a member constituted byone end of the article and slidable in said sheath, a member constitutedby the other end of the article and adapted for insertion in saidsheath, pivoted means inside the sheath for clasping engagement with theinserted member, acoil spring or springs thrusting the pivoted meanstoward their engaging position, and means for manually oscillating thepivoted means for the exterior of the sheath.

4. A manually operated extensible safety coupling device for articles ofjewelry, comprising a sheath, a member on one end of the article andmounted slidably in the sheath, means pivoted in the sheath and rockablefrom the exterior thereof and having a clasping terminal portion, amemher on the other end of the article and insertible in the sheath andhaving a recess to receive the aforesaid clasping terminal portion, anda coil spring or springs bearing against the aforesaid slidable memberand the pivoted means and serving to urge the clasping terminal portionof the pivoted means into engagement with the recess in the insertiblemember. I

5. A manually operated extensible safety couplingdevice for-articles ofjewelry such as a necklace, comprising a sheath, arnember on one end ofthe article and mounted slidably in the sheath, aplurality of two-armedlevers pivoting radially With respect to this sliding part, a coilspring or springs surrounding said slidable member and thrusting itsfree end toward hook-shaped ends on the longer arms of the levers, Whoseshort arms serve as abutment to the spring, an insertible member on theother end of the article having'a reduced portion to receive thehook-shaped ends of the levers, and projections on said leversaccessible from outside the sheath to rock said levers.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature presence of twoWitnesses.

v EDOUARD SGHENK. lVitnesses:

B0131. B. MAGATEE, P. PLANTIN.

